Stenciling device



July 7, 1931. A, F, J, POKORNY 1,813,711

sTENcILING DEVICE Filed Feb. 1o` 1950 2 sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEY4 July 7, 1931. A, F, J, PQKORNY 1,813,711

STENCILING DEVICE .Filed Feb. 10, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o E. ZAK 96.

INVENTOR` Rampa Zuma@ ATTORNEY Patented July 7, 1931 PATENT oFFicE ADOLPH F. J'. POKORNY, OF ST. PAUL'fMINNESOTA `sfr''iinoinine DEVICE Application lcd February 10, 1930.` Serial No. 427,180.

The present invention relates to a stenciling device for stenciling showcards, and the'like.

In the making of show cards by `means of stencils, fit is common practice to use a stencil card having separate stencil openings therein for forming the letters of the entire alphabet and by manipulating the stencil card in stenciling a letter at a time various combinations vof type may be readily stenciled without necessitating the cutting of an individual stencil for each show card.

To successfully use this type of stencil and this method of making signs, the successive letters must be in alinement, and, therefore, the stencil and the surface which is being stenciled should be positioned against relative longitudinal *movement while being free for relative lateral movenient. A mechanism for accomplishing this result is shown in my Patent, No. 1,57 2,081, dated February 9, 1926@ It has been found in using this device that it would be advisable to have certain additional features and functions incorporated in a device of this character and to that end the present invention is directed.

An object of theV present invention is to vimpiove and simplify a mechanism for use in stenciling or lettering.

In order to attain this object, I have constructed a feeding and operating mechanism to be incorporated in devices of this character which will be fully described hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure-1 is a view in perspective of the device in position for operation.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.`

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of a portion of a guiding andholding member.

Figure 6 is a view in side elevation of `a feed roll mechanism, one of the vfeed rolls lbeing shown sectionally.

Figure 7 is a view -in side elevation of the feed roll and guide mechanism, the feed roll being shown in solid lines in an operative position and in dotted lines in an inoperative position; ,and

Figure 8 is a portion of a stencil alphabet card adapted to be used with the present device.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a cabinet A is provided with a drawer B which may be inserted in the opening l in the front of the cabinet. A pair of channel members 2 are secured to the top surface of the rear portion of the ,cabinet A and are adapted to receive a lia-nge 3 on the sides of the forward end of the drawer to hold the drawer in vertical position, as illustiatedin Figure 1, to be used as a filing cabinet foi' stencils and a rack for paints and brushes for use in the stenciling of signs, etc. Connected to each side of the cabinet are plates 4l and '5, each' having a slotted opening 6 therein to permit long strip signs while being stenciled, to bie moved laterally therein.

A rod 7 is pivotally mounted in the plates 4 and 5 to extend between said plates. FiX- iedly connected to the outer ends of the rod I are operating handles 8 and 9. Also IiXY edly connected to the rod 7 on the inner side of each of the plates 4 and 5 are operating levers 10, best illustrated in Figure 4, which operate paper locking and roller support arms 11 which are mounted one on the inner side of each of the plates l and 5, being pivotally supported upon bolts l2.

Mounted across the forward ends of the arms 11 is a transverse stencil guide and ca rd locking member 13, best shown in Figure 5, said member having a scale 1-1 inscribed thereon. This scale is preferably divided into half inch units, the distance from Zero to one being one-half inch, from one to two one-half inch, and so on. Thus, by placing a two inch card between the iigures 2 and 2 the card would be centered with respect to the numeral 0, which is preferably positioned at the center of the transverse member 13. An angle support ineinber 15 lis preferably positioned beneath the combined guide and card holding member CTL 13 to support this member and add to its rigidity. A circular opening 16 is provided near the forward end of each of the arms 11. A shaft 17 of feed rolls 18 and 19 is mounted therein and extends outwardly through openings 2O in the side plates 11.

The openings 2O in the side plates 11 have a circular upper portion and a downwardly extending vertical portion at one side thereof, so that when the shaft of the feed rolls is in the vertical portion it will'be free to move downwardly until the feed rolls engage the upper surface of a freely rotatable feed roll 21 mounted transversely of the lower portion of the cabinet. The upper surface of the feed roll is fiush with the upper surface of the card supporting portion 22 of the cabinet. Gperating knobs 23 are provided upon both ends of the lower feed roll 21 to permit manual rotation of the lower roll 21 to move a card in and out of the machine. When the upper feed roll shaft 17 is raised and moved to the rear so as to rest on the curved lower surface of the circular upper portion of the opening 20, the feed rolls will be supported as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 7 so that the feed rolls will be maintained out of contact with a card 24 positioned in the device for stencilmg.

A wire spring 25 is mounted to have one end thereof resting upon the operating rod 7, acting also as a brake on said rod, the wire being coiled around the arm supporting bolt 12 and the spring wire extending forwardly therefrom to rest upon the upper surface of the upper feed roll support rod 17 to resiliently force the feed roll support rod downwardly. The side of each of the arms 11 is notched as at 26 to receive the operating' rod 7 therein. The rear portion 27 of each of the arms 11 is curved downwardly and is provided with a laterally extending notch 28 therein to receive a second wire spring 29 which extends rearwardly therefrom, is coiled around a supporting bolt 30 and from thence extends upwardly to engage a support 31 which is permanently secured to the inner surface of each of the side plates 4 and 5 and also acts as a support for a stop member 32 of the cabinet A. The spring 29 is mounted under tension so as to normally depress the rear end of the arm 11 and raise the forward end of the arm,

A stud 33 projects inwardly from the side of the arm 11 in rear of the notched opening 26 and in the path of movement of the lever 7 so that when the operating handles 8 and 9 are moved toward the rear, the lever 10 will engage the stud 33 to depress the rear portion of the arm 11 and thereby raise the forward portion. In doing so the arms 11 also will engage on the bottoms of the openings 16, the upper feed roll shaft 17 and by continuing the rear movement of levers 8 and 9 the upper feed rolls 18 and 19 will be lifted and disengaged from the lower roll 21 thereby releasing a card or paper held by these rolls. By moving the operating handles 8 and 9 forward the curved upper end of the lever 10 will engage the under surface of the transverse upper portion of the arm 11, forcing it upwardly and l:depressing the forward end of the arm. This moves the combined guide and paper holding member 13 downwardly to firmly engage the card 24 positioned in the machine and hold it against movement therein.

To operate the device, the operating handles 8 and 9 are moved rearwardly to raise the combined paper holding and guide member 13 to the position shown in Figure 4. rlhe upper feed rolls 18 and 19 are then adjusted on the feed roll support rod 17 so as to engage the card 24 to be used in writing the stencil and being preferably spaced far enough apart so as to clear the portion of the card upon which the letters are to be stencilled to prevent possible smearing of the paint or ink by the rollers.

The card may then be inserted in the machine, said card being moved into the machine until the forward edge thereof engages the feed rollers. The card may be centered by means of the scale 14 on the combined card holding and guide member 13 in the manner previously described. lThe Vside edges of the card are then adjusted so as to be approximately parallel with the sides of the cabinet and the feed rollers are manually operated by means of the knobs 23 to feed the card forwardly into the machine the desired distance. The operating handles 8 and 9 are then moved forwardly so that the levers 10 force the combined card holding and guide member 13 downwardly to grip the card and prevent further movement thereof. A stencil 35 is then placed in position, as shown in Figures 2 and 7 so that the forward edge thereof rests on the lower end of the guide member 13. One line of the show card is then stenciled in the customary manner. The levers 8 and 9 are then moved rearwardly to raise the forward ends of the arms 11, as shown in Figure 4, and the card is advanced by means of the feed rollers to position the card for writing the next line. lVhen the card is finished the levers 8 and 9 are moved rearwardly to release the card 24 from the guide member 13 and the upper feed rolls 18 and 19.

When making long narrow strip signs where a lateral movement of the paper strip is required, it is desirable to keep the feedH rolls out of Contact with each other without interfering with the up and down action of the clamp and guide rail 13. To accomplish this the upper feed rolls 18 and 19 may be raised by manually grasping the ends of the rod 17, and moving it up into the curved lower portions of the circular openings 20 of sides 4L and 5 to rest there out of action until released from their position on the circular portion of the opening 2() into the vertical portions thereof.

The device provides a simple and effective means for the quick and clear manipulation of cards during stenciling, holding a card against angular distortion as the card is advanced into the machine, and being readily operated to release the card for removal from the machine. Use of the present mechanism also obviates the necessity for touching the card with ones hands during stenciling as the card is readily manipulated by means of the feed rollers.

I claim:

l. A stencil mechanism having a bed, card clamping means mounted above said bed and having an aperture therein, a feed lroller mounted in the base to have the upper surface thereof substantially tangent with the surface of the bed, a shaft rotatably mounted in the aperture in said card clamping means above said feed roller, a pair of rollers mounted on said rod, and means acting on said shaft to resiliently urge it downward toward said feed roller.

2. In combination with a stencil machine having a card supporting base, a roller mounted in said base, a pair of lever arms pivotally mounted above said base, said lever arms having each an opening therein, card clamping and stencil positioning means mounted across the forward end of said levers, a shaft mounted to lie in said openings, spring means acting on said shaft to normally force it downwardly toward said feed roller, a pair of rollers slidably mounted on said shaft to engage said feed roller, a cam surface on the rear portion of said lever arms, and an operating handle having a lever positioned to engage said cam surface and force the forward end of said arms downwardly into clamping engagement with a card supported on said card supporting means.

3. A stencil mechanism, comprising a bed, a feed roller mounted therein, an overhanging portion having a slotted opening therein, said slotted opening having a laterally offset portion therein, an arm pivotally mounted on said overhanging portion and having an enlarged apertureV therein, spring means mounted to normally raise said arm, lever means mounted to depress said arm in an operative position and release said arm in an inoperative position, a shaft of smaller diameter than the aperture of said arm, mounted to lie in said aperture and to ride in the slot in said overhanging portion, a pair of feed rolls mounted on said shaft, and spring means mounted to exert a downward pressure on said shaft.

4. A stenciling apparatus, comprising a bed, a bracket overhanging a portion of said bed, a feed roll mounted in said bed, a tiltable frame mounted in said bracket and having a pair of enlarged apertures in the ends thereof, a shaft smaller in diameter than said apertures, a pair of short feed rolls slidably mounted on said shaft, and lever means mounted to control the tilting of said frame.

`5. A stenciling apparatus, comprising a bed, a feed roll mounted therein, a bracket overhanging said bed and having vertical stops therein, said slots having each a laterally offset portion therein, a tiltable frame having a pair of enlarged apertures opposite said slots, a shaft mounted in said enlarged apertures and said slots, said shaft being sufficiently smaller than said apertures to permit a relative movement between said shaft and said tiltable frame when said shaft lies in the offset portions of said slots, a spring normally holding said shaft downward, a spring normally holding said frame upward, and means controlling the movement of said tilting frame.

6. A stencil mechanism having a bed, a feed roller mounted tangentially below the upper surface of said bed, a lever pivotally mounted above said bed, said lever having a transversely positioned card clamping and stencil positioning member secured to the forward portion thereof, a pressure roller carried by said lever above said feed roller, said lever being free for limited vertical movement with respect to said roller, and resilient means mounted to normally urge said pressure roller downwardly to said feed roller.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ADOLPH F. J. POKORNY. 

